


Unconditional

by insertcoolname13



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-14
Updated: 2016-02-14
Packaged: 2018-05-20 07:12:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5996439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/insertcoolname13/pseuds/insertcoolname13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I don’t know why I care, either,” said General Organa. “After all he’s done, I should want him dead. I should want him to hurt the way he’s hurt me.”<br/>“But you don’t?” asked Rey.<br/>“No matter how hard I try to hate him, I just can’t.” The woman reached for the small toy she had hidden behind her back.  “He’s my son, a part of me. I love him, even now.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unconditional

**Author's Note:**

> My first attempt at dialogue, hopefully it's not too terrible. My love for Leia Organa grows with each movie.

 

Rey beamed as the Milenium Falcon touched down on the Resistance airstrip. Her two months away felt like an eternity. Thankfully, Master Luke had allowed her to go for a quick visit as soon as the news had reached them. “Thanks for picking me up, Chewie!” exclaimed Rey. “I can’t believe Finn finally woke up, I actually get to see him.” Chewie growled happily in response. The girl freed herself from her seatbelt, and then sprinted out of the beautiful ship she had once called garbage. A familiar figure was waiting for her on the runway.

“Rey!” called Poe Dameron, wearing an enormous grin on his face. “I told Finn you were coming; I’ve never seen him so excited.”

“Hey, Poe!”  Rey gave the pilot a quick hug.  The two began to walk in the direction of the medical facility. They had met just once before, over their dear friend’s sick bed.  Rey normally didn’t warm up to people very quickly but it was impossible not to like Poe, he was everyone’s friend. “So, he woke up yesterday?” Rey asked, looking around the busy base.

“Yeah, he’s doing much better,” said Poe. “Kind of freaked out at first, we had to explain what happened. I guess he doesn’t remember.”

“Maybe it’s better he doesn’t.” Rey shuddered at the memory, that awful red saber burning Finn’s shoulder. That dark monster, slicing into the back of her first real friend.  _Kylo Ren._ The name inspired something deep in Rey, something deeper than terror. Were she not training as a Jedi, Rey might have called it hatred.

“He’s right in here where you left him,” said Poe as they arrived at the low building that served as the resistance hospital. “Go on in and see him, I’ll wait out here if you want.”

“Thanks.” Rey gave Poe a grateful smile, noticing he looked a little disappointed that she took him up on his offer. Poe Dameron may have been everyone’s friend but Rey had to wonder if Finn was more. “I’ll call you in a few minutes, I’m sure he will want to see you too.” The girl turned to enter the building, but not before noticing the look of pure happiness on the pilot’s face.

Upon entering the hospital, Rey began to search for her friend. She didn’t have to look for long, a creaky voice soon called out to her. “Rey!” croaked the former Stormtrooper. “Sorry about the voice, it’s a little rusty seeing as how I haven’t used in in two months. I can’t believe I’ve been out that long. Look at you! You look like a real Jedi, Poe told me you went to Luke for training. That’s insane, but great. I’m so glad to see you.”

“I’m glad to see you too, Finn.” Rey couldn’t help but giggle. Leave it to her friend to turn the conversation to her, despite the fact that he was the one coming out of a coma.  She knelt down, next to his bed. “Training is intense, but I want to hear about you. How are you feeling?”

“Oh, I mean it still hurts a little but I’ll be fine in a few days.” insisted Finn. “I’d be up now if they’d let me.”

“You are going to stay right where you are and get better,” said Rey, all laughter gone from her voice.  “You almost died; I thought you were dead at first.”

“I’m going to be fine though, Rey,” said Finn gently.  He reached over and squeezed her hand.

“But you might not have been, he might have killed you.” Rey found herself growing angry. “You could have ended up like Han.” The thought made Rey sick. “That creature murdered his own father, he hurt you like it was nothing!”

“ Please Rey, sit down,” pleaded Finn. The girl didn’t remember jumping to her feet and was surprised to find herself standing. “ I want to talk to my friend, not waste time being angry about the past.”

“I’m sorry,” said Rey. She returned to her spot on the floor, feeling guilty.  “Let’s talk, I’ll tell you all about training.” Rey forced herself to put her rage aside, at least for now. “Or better yet, I’ll go get Poe.  He’s eagerly waiting for me to call him in.”

Hours later, Rey emerged from the hospital.  It was evening now and activity on the base had slowed down. Most of the personal had gone to the cantina for dinner, Rey was famished herself but pushed it aside. There was somewhere she had to go first, she headed for General Organa’s office.  Rey was fond of the woman, finding her both friendly and a bit intimidating at the same time.  The General was sister to the legendary Luke Skywalker and had been wife to the famous smuggler Han Solo, but she was her own person.  She was always working; spending all her time studying maps and gathering intelligence, trying to figure out what the next move should be.  Leia Organa never seemed to rest, so Rey was surprised to find the office empty. She turned to leave, nearly running right into the droid, C-3po. “Hey Threepio,” said Rey. “Do you know where the General is? I have to get back to Master Luke soon and I wanted to see her.”

“Oh yes Miss Rey,” the droid said in his pompous manner. “She retired to her chambers early tonight, I’m afraid she heard a rather nasty report.”

“Oh, I see.” Rey was disappointed but tried to hide it. “I suppose I’ll see her next time I visit, whenever that will be.”

“Don’t fret, Miss Rey.  I’m sure she would like to see you, her chambers are just over that way.” The droid pointed toward the center of the compound.

“Thanks, Threepio!” Rey headed in the direction C-3po had indicated, pausing outside the grey door. The girl knocked; thinking she heard an answer, Rey pushed open the door. What she saw inside shocked her. The General, a woman whom Rey had always thought of as strong and unbreakable, lay curled up on the bed.  When she raised her head, Rey could see her brown eyes were wet with tears.  General Organa clutched something tightly to her chest; Rey barley caught a glimpse it, a tiny stuffed Ewok, before the General hid the furry thing behind her back.  “I’m sorry,” stuttered Rey. “I’ll… I’ll leave you alone.” The girl turned to leave, to run.

“No, Rey.” The crying woman’s voice was choked with tears but still somehow commanded authority.  Rey froze, then forced herself to turn around.  The General sat up, wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. “It’s not your fault, I’m alright really.” She straightened up and made an attempt to look composed. “Now, what did you need? Any news from my brother?”

“No General Organa, it’s nothing like that.” Rey wanted to make excuses and get out of there as quickly as possible, but the General was obviously in pain.  The girl couldn’t bring herself to leave her that way.  “Are you alright? I mean, you look awfully upset.”

“I’ve just had a bit of bad news is all.” General Organa stared intently at her hands, as though she were looking for something. “We had a huge loss today; there was a raid on one of our other bases. A lot of our personal were killed. I haven’t made the news public yet.”  Rey reached out a shaking hand and placed it on Leia Organa’s shoulder in what she hoped was a comforting gesture.  The General let out a sigh. Then, in a voice so quiet it was practically a whisper, she spoke “Kylo Ren was there, I hear he was badly injured by one of my commanders.”

Rey was baffled, how could General Organa care if the monster was hurt?  After all Kylo Ren had done, he deserved whatever happened to him.  He might have been her son once but Ben Solo was dead, Kylo Ren had murdered him just has he had murdered his father.  The General must have read Rey’s shocked expression; she looked up and met the girl’s eyes. “I don’t know why I care, either,” said General Organa. “After all he’s done, I should want him dead. I should want him to hurt the way he’s hurt me.”

“But you don’t?” asked Rey.  

“No matter how hard I try to hate him, I just can’t.” The woman reached for the small toy she had hidden behind her back.  “He’s my son, a part of me. I love him, even now.”  

“General Organa you haven’t seen him,” Rey insisted. She felt for the General but she needed to understand, needed to see the truth. “He’s not your son anymore.”

“He’ll always be my son.” The General looked to be on the verge of tears again. “He’s my son and he’s in pain. I should have done more to help him when he was young.” She stared at the ewok in her lap.

“Was that his?” Rey asked quietly. She couldn’t picture Kylo Ren as a child, playing with toys.

“Yes, it was his favorite when he was little.” General Organa smiled sadly. “He wouldn’t let it out of his sight.”  

“What was he like?” Rey inquired.

“He was quiet and very shy, especially around strangers.”  The General sighed and put the toy down. “It was hard for Han, he was always so outgoing and patience was never his strong suit. Ben could be difficult; he had terrible nightmares and seemed to be afraid of everything.”

As much as Rey had liked Han, she didn’t know if he would have been the best parent to a frightened child. The thought made her sad and she felt sorry for little Ben Solo.  “When did you know something was wrong with him?” she asked.

“I could tell the darkness was after him even before he was born,” said General Organa. I had nightmares, while I was pregnant with him.  Dreams of a monster watching us, planning to take him away. It only became worse as he got older.”

Rey shuddered at the thought. “Was it Snoke, even back then?”  The General gave a small nod.

“He’s been after him his entire life, always whispering into his ear. Lying to him, leading him astray.”

 “Ben never even had a chance then,” said Rey.

“There is still hope for him,” insisted General Organa. “I know there is still good in him, somewhere.”

Rey didn’t know how she felt but she agreed for the General’s sake “Maybe, General Organa. I hope so.” The General stood and walked over to her desk. She placed the ewok into the top drawer, locking it with a small key from her pocket. “Now go get something to eat,” said the General. “You have a long trip ahead of you tonight.”

So Rey walked off, feeling more confused than ever. She couldn’t believe it, but she felt a great deal of pity for her enemy.  The anger she had felt for Kylo Ren was gone, replaced sadness.  

 

 


End file.
